United States Service Flags are Back in Style

[Mary, Proud Mom of Nick]

By Rod Powers, About.com


Immediate family member service flag, hung horizontally. Blue star on a white background, surrounded by a red border.

Rarely seen since World War II, family members of United States Military members are beginning to display United States Service Flags again to honor family members who are members of the United States Military, during the "War on Terrorism."

The Service Flag was first (unofficially) used during World War I. The flag is white with a red border and one or more blue stars in the center: one star for each family member serving in the military during times of war or hostility. If a service member dies, the blue star is covered by a gold star.

At one time, states had laws on the books which described specific specifications for up to 10 different kind of stars, indicating Prisoner of War (POW), or Missing in Action (MIA), and other statuses. However, the only design that ever found much favor with the American public was the basic design of blue stars, with gold stars overlaid to indicate the member died on active duty.

In 1967, the United States Congress Codified the Service Flag, specifying who is authorized to display the flags, and requiring a license granted by the Department of Defense for the manufacture and sale of service flags and lapel buttons.

From the United States Code, Title 36, Section 901:

[Seabee Dtr]

I found them on ebay. type in service star wristbands, (i think) or the store name is america welcomes the world (AWTW).

[Susan X 2]

Thank you!!!

[Karen Gallagher]

any family member can have one sibblings grandparents aunts uncles etc even some business have them. My mom wants to get one for her house and even though she had 3 brothers serve in last of WWII and the Korean Conflit she had no idea about the flag until I got mine.

[Becky]

When i got mine the paper that came with them did not say grand parents could have one . I would love to send one to my mom and dad but i did not know if it was apropriate.Karen are you sure ?

[Suzanne]

A few weeks before leaving for BC, my son and I visited the WWII museum in New Orleans. They have a very nice gift shop there. He went his way, I went mine. I saw the display of service flags there and must have gone by them a dozen times, but each time I thought "maybe he wouldn't feel comfortable with me hanging one of these in my window" so I left without purchasing one. When we got to the car,my son handed me a bag and told me that he had bought me something. Yep, there was my service flag! We hung it in our window as soon as we got home. PS. Mine was designed to hang horizontally.

[Barb Pruitt]

I have one with two stars one each for my daughter and son it is proudly displayed on our front window. I would love one that could be hung on the flag pole with two stars but have never seen one.

[Claire]

Here is what the DoD says about this subject...I found this on the site where I ordered my service flag:
http://www.serviceflags.com/auth.htm

"Department of Defense Regulations state that family members authorized to display the flag include:

Wife, husband, mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, parent through adoption, foster parents who stand or stood in loco parentis, children, stepchildren, children through adoption, brothers, sisters, half brothers and half sisters of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States.

We have written to several US Representatives to see if we can get Grandparents added to the 'official' list. There are already many grandparents who are participating to show their love and support of the grandchildren!

The Service flag may be displayed in a window of the place of residence of persons who are members of the immediate family of Service members serving in the Armed Forces of the United States during any period of war or hostilities in which the armed forces of the United States may be engaged, for the duration of such period of war or hostilities.

How about In-laws? We get this question all the time. While not specifically authorized, this will have to be a personal choice as it is with grandparents. We do know that the authorization for organizations is very broad and allows display for non-relatives which is less of a connection than in-laws or grandchildren."

[Claire]

I interpret the guidelines regarding the displaying of the service flag as meaning it isn't required that the individual service member be in a combat zone, but rather that there must be a period of war or hostilities for which the US "may be engaged".

I believe this qualifies us to display our service flags, so I have mine in my son's bedroom window, which overlooks our street.